


The Lion's Bane

by TheHogwartsJedi



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-25 20:16:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12043482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHogwartsJedi/pseuds/TheHogwartsJedi
Summary: Cullen was sold to the Templar Gladiator School at age 15 and had become the star of the School.  Now when he is so close to winning his freedom, he is sold to a nobleman to be his personal bodyguard.  Will Cullen be able to earn his freedom like he had once planned or will his life turn out far worse than his life at the Templar School.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own any of the Dragon Age characters that I am borrowing for this story. 
> 
> This is for Day 6 of Cullen Appreciation Week. This was orginally supposed to be a one shot but my plot bunny kind of ran away from me and it became a much longer story. So I hope that you all enjoy.

Two more battles and then this will all be over, Cullen thought as he listened to the roar of the crowd from the stadium above his head. It had been a long ten years for Cullen fighting his way thought the gladiatorial combat of the various Roman areas. He had been bought at the age of 15 by the Templar Gladiator school and had quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the best gladiators at the school. After 15 years of the fighting he was tired of it all. He was glad that he was finally nearing the end of his time as a gladiator. Two more victories in battle and he would win his freedom. His dream of owning his own little farm and never having to fight ever again was so close he could taste it. He just had to finish today’s battle and then get ready for the next. His freedom would be his soon. He swore it to every God that he could think of. 

“Lion’s Bane! You are up next!” the arena master shouted loudly over the noise above them.

Cullen sighed. How he hated that nickname. He had earned it during one of his first matches where he had fought and killed a lion. It had almost killed him to have to fight the lion. Cullen did not mind killing men but when it came to animals who only fought him because they had been poked and forced to attack. It was not something that Cullen truly wanted to do. 

He pulled his lion shaped Cassis Crista on and adjusted his Manica one last time before grabbing his Scutum and Gladius. He hurried over to the Arena Master to head out to battle hopefully for the second to last time in his life. The roar of the crowd filled his ears as he walked out into the arena. Taking a deep breath, he let his mind slip into his fighting mode and let the world around him slip away. Victory would be his on this day.

 

* * *

“You fought well today boy,” Meredith the owner of the Templar Gladiator school said standing outside of Cullen’s cell. “You have almost earned enough to buy your freedom. I never thought that I would ever see that day happen.”

Cullen just looked up at Meredith from his bed. He had learned a long time ago it was best to remain silent when Meredith was speaking. She did not actually want to hear any of his replies. Part of Cullen wondered if she just enjoyed hearing herself speak. Meredith loved to pretend that she cared about the men and women who trained at the school. But in reality, they were all nothing but pawns to her. 

“It is a shame for you to be sold when you are so close to your freedom,” Meredith told him with little emotion in her voice.

Cullen’s head shot up the moment she said that. It could not be like this. Not when he was so close to finally being free and being able to have his dream. “What?” he asked, his voice cracking slightly. 

“There is a nobleman who is interested in a personal bodyguard. You were the one he was interested in. He will be here tomorrow morning to collect you. He paid for all of your armor and any personal artifacts that you have.”

It suddenly became hard to breath for Cullen. Meredith kept talking about his new owner but he could not hear a word that she was saying. All that he could think that was every single one of his dreams of owning a little farm outside of Rome and never having to fight again were now gone. The Gods only knew what this man would want with him. Everything that he had hoped for was now slipping through his fingers. 

If Meredith could sense anything she said nothing to him. She bid him a good night and left him with his thoughts. It was almost as if she were enjoying how much pain Cullen was in. Sleep did not come to him that night. His mind would not let him. He kept going over different scenarios of what would happen tomorrow. All he could think of was the horror stories he had heard of other slaves sold off and never earning their freedom. 

* * *

Cullen was up and dressed long before Meredith arrived at his cell the next morning. His few meager belongings were packed and ready to go. Part of him was glad that he was allowed to keep everything. His custom lion Cassis Crista had cost more than what he made in his first year of being a Gladiator but to him it had been worth it. The helm had become his trade mark and helped fit that damn nickname of his. 

“Good, you are up and ready to go. Your new Master is here,” Meredith told him as she unlocked the door to his cell.

As if on cue a young man walked down the steps that lead to the cells for the other Gladiators. He was dressed in a simple beige tunic with gold arm bands. His sandals were far better quality than Cullen had ever had on his feet. The noble had the same darker tanned skin that most noble Romans had. He did though break the clean-shaven tradition that most male Romans had with a styled mustache. The young man smiled when he saw Cullen standing before him. “Ah! Good to see that you are packed and ready to go Lion’s Bane! It means we can head off back to my villa much quicker. As much as I enjoy being here in Rome, I want to go back home as quickly as I can,” the man spoke rapidly.

“Cullen,” Cullen replied back to the man quietly.

The man paused in his speech. “I’m sorry? What?”

“Cullen, my name is Cullen, not Lion’s Bane.”

“Oh, of course! Forgive me. I didn’t even think to ask what you preferred to be called. I am Dorian Parvus. It is a pleasure to get to meet you. My Cousin and I have always been big fans of yours. My Cousin slightly more than I but that is another story for another time. Right now, I am eager to get home.’

Dorian turned to Meredith and handed her a small sack of gold and then motioned for Cullen to follow him. Cullen reached down and gabbed his belongings and followed Dorian off to his new life. He just hoped it would be far better than the one that he was leaving behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen arrives at his new home and finds out why he was bought by Dorian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I don't own any of the Dragon Age characters. I am just borrowing them for a little bit.

The ride to the Parvus manor was the furthest Cullen had ever been out of Rome, save for the few times that he had smaller gladiator matches in a few outlying cities. He sat in the back of Dorian’s small covered wagon with the other supplies that Dorian had bought while in Rome. Dorian on the other hand sat up with the driver. Laughing and talking about various things that only the two of them would know about. 

It did not matter much to Cullen. He was used to being alone unless someone needed something from him. Right now, he just wanted to brood. He knew that he should not be shocked that Meredith would have sold him rather than let him fight his final fight to earn his freedom. She never wanted any of her Gladiators free. If they earned their freedom, then she would lose her control over them and her source of money. 

The slowing of the cart pulled Cullen out of his thoughts. He sat up and waited. He was not sure how Dorian would want him to act. He had heard stories of how Dominus or Masters would punish their Slaves for assuming things. Dorian seemed to be a fair Dominus but one could never tell.

Dorian’s face appeared at the entrance of the wagon a few moments later. He motioned for Cullen to come out and moved away from the entrance. Cullen took and deep breath and let it out slowly. He tried to dispel the nervousness that he faced as he climbed out of the wagon. As Cullen exited, he looked around taking in everything around him.

Cullen was outside of a large villa. It was the bright white that all the villas used and slightly reminded him of the Templar School. He followed Dorian inside into the large atrium area. There they both were greeted by one of the largest men that Cullen had ever seen in his life. He had to be over six feet tall and made of solid muscle. Dorian smiled brightly when he saw the large man walking into the atrium. “Bull!” Dorian said happily as he hurried over to meet the man. 

Cullen’s eyes almost bulged out his head when he heard the man’s name. The Iron Bull was one of the greatest Gladiators to ever grace the Colosseum. He was also one of the fastest to ever win his freedom. So many people wanted to test their Gladiators against him that in a matter of three short years, The Iron Bull had won the twenty-one matches needed to be a free man. 

The two men hugged each other tightly and spoke quietly to each other before kissing. Cullen turned and started looking at the large wall fresco to his right to give the men their privacy. He had no problem with what they were doing but being there made him feel more than a little awkward. So he stared intently at the mural in front of him looking at the scenes of peaceful country life that man nobles had painted on their walls. 

A few moments later, Dorian walked up to him. “Follow me, there is something that I want to show you.”

Cullen nodded and did as he was asked. Dorian led him to the large courtyard in the center of the villa. There a young boy in his early teens stood holding a Gladius and Scutum that was much too big for him. He attacked a wooden training dummy over and over again with very little skill. “That there is my youngest Cousin and only male heir to the Trevelyan line, Caius. He has somehow come to believe that he would make a wonderful Gladiator. I need you to knock some sense in to his head and make him realize that is a bad idea,” Dorian explained pointing to the boy.

“Why me? There are hundreds if not thousands of over Gladiators that you could have gotten to do that,” Cullen asked the confusion evident in his voice,

“True, I could have bought any of them. But, they are not someone he idolizes. The Lion’s Bane is his favorite Gladiator. I am hoping that you can either talk some sense to him or knock some into him.”

Cullen shook his head. “I don’t know how to train anyone!”  
“It doesn’t matter if you do or not. Show him a few moves and knock him on his ass a few times. Show him that this isn’t the fun little game that he wants to play. If you could, then both myself and his sister would be forever in your debt,” Dorian explained.

Cullen sighed and nodded his head. It was not like he could tell Dorian no. Dorian’s face lit up in a huge smile. “Wonderful! Do you want to meet Caius now or wait until the morning when you are better rested?” Dorian asked.

“I’m your slave Dominus. You decide when I meet the boy and when I do no,” Cullen replied quietly.  
Dorian froze as Cullen said this and looked uncomfortable. “Yes, well I like my servant having a say in what they do or do not. I know that Meredith always wanted you to agree to everything that she said but I’m not that way. I want you to speak your mind like I was not your Dominus.”

“I will meet with the boy,” Cullen replied after a few minutes, really just wanting to get the first meeting over rather than actually meet Caius. 

Dorian nodded and turned towards the young man. “Caius! I have someone here for you to meet!” he called out. 

The young man instantly stopped attacking the dummy and looked up at Dorian. His eyes grew large and his mouth dropped open when he saw who was standing beside Dorian. “Is…is that?” he asked dropping his Gladius and Scutum to the ground.

Caius ran over to Cullen. “I cannot believe it! You’re the Lion’s Bane!!! I have seen you fight twice and I have heard about so many of your other fights! I cannot believe that I am getting to meet you.”

Cullen blushed deeply at the praise. He had heard it several times before from the other people would come to visit the Templar School. He was never used to hearing the praise. He was just a slave doing what his Domina had trained him to do. Caius kept babbling on and on about his amazing fights. Bringing up memories that Cullen wanted more than anything to forget. It always amazed him how people saw his fights so differently than he did. No one ever seemed to see the pain and the suffering that they all went through. Just the glory of battle and combat. 

“That’s enough Caius. We need to let Cullen settle in before you start peppering him for tips on how to be the best Gladiator there is,” Dorian said breaking Cullen’s thoughts. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. It was rude of me for doing that. I will leave you to your rest. I still just cannot believe I am getting to meet the Lion’s Bane!” Caius babbled happily.

Dorian shook his head and then made a motion with his hand. Instantly an elderly gentleman appeared by Dorian. “Yes Dorian,” he asked with a slight bow. 

“Please take Cullen to his new room in the servant’s quarters. Make sure that he has everything he needs will you Marcus?” Dorian instructed the man.

Marcus nodded and turned to Cullen. “If you will follow me please.”

Cullen bowed slightly to Dorian and then followed Marcus of the court yard to his new room.


End file.
